Another tough game on another tired surface, saw another battling performance by Tim’s team rewarded with another fine away point against the team sitting seventh in the table. The experienced Kyle Tooze gave the home side the lead shortly after the break, Will Fletcher heading home the equaliser from Josh Carmichael’s free-kick ten minutes from time.

Manager Tim Sills made four changes: Ross Flitney in goal, Harry Morgan and Cam Munn in midfield, and Will Fletcher up front.

On the hard, dry, bobbly and well-worn surface, with The Magpies facing a strong breeze, the first-half won’t linger long in the memory with both teams treating the ball like a hot potato. However, it was very nearly a different story as The Crusaders grabbed the early initiative: Ross Flitney made a confident catch from Hungerford’s first-minute corner; left-back Angell hurled the first of a plethora of long-throws into the danger area; and Marquez’s third-minute snap shot from left of the penalty spot beat Flitney’s dive but rebounded off the far post.

Wimborne steadied the ship, and created a couple of chances. Harvey Wright’s header from Josh Carmichael’s 18th-minute corner was a comfortable catch for keeper Clarke; and Cam Munn won possession in the centre-circle on 36 minutes but picked the wrong pass when the visitors had a three on two opportunity. At the other end Sam Roberts, Harvey Wright and Sam Jackson were in imperious form as they coped with all that was thrown at them in the air – mostly by Angell, with Flitney having just one save to make when the elusive Marquez cut in from the left, and Jackson bravely put his body on the line to block a 25-yard pile-driver.

The second-half started brightly too: Matty Burrows crossed from the right by-line, and Wimborne’s defensive wall blocked McGrory’s 30-yard free-kick before the hosts took the lead on 52 minutes. Shepherd, who caught the eye with his energetic running and leaping, flicked a cross to Angell on the left of the penalty area, his low cross was met by Tooze whose movement found him in the right place at the right time to score from close-range. For a few minutes, Hungerford took control with Marquez firing wide from Clarke’s long clearance.

But this Wimborne are a resilient lot, and the impetus of fresh legs from the bench changed the momentum of the game. Carmichael found Harry Baker whose deft chip was headed over the bar by Will Fletcher; Fletcher’s next header, from Carmichael’s free-kick, was cleared off the line; but the big striker scored with his next attempt on 80 minutes, another header from another perfectly-flighted Carmichael free-kick.

With Owen Roundell-Prince on the pitch, Wimborne could launch their own throw-ins into the danger area, with the hosts defending desperately. But it was a quick counter-attack on 84 minutes which almost brought a second, Jack Lovell’s shot from the edge of the box being brilliantly tipped round the foot of the post by the home shot-stopper. In the second of the four additional minutes, Baker had a great chance but could only aim the spinning ball straight at keeper Clarke. And in the last attack of the match, Flitney had to tip Berchiche’s shot over the bar.

This wasn’t a game of free-flowing football, the surface, and two dominating defences, put a stop to any thoughts of that. It was a proper battle in mid-field by two decent teams who must be applauded for the effort they put in near the end of the season. This hard-earned point means that Tim’s team have taken four points off a team who were in National South two seasons ago, and finished four points outside the play-offs in the last campaign. “Little old Wimborne” – no, not any more! We can hold our own in this division.

Wimborne: Flitney, Eccott-Young (Biss 59), Wright, Roberts, Jackson, Carmichael, Morgan (Roundell-Prince 71), Bedford, Munn (Lovell 76), Burrows (Baker 64), Fletcher

Unused sub: Neale

Attendance: 503

Match stats: